U-RISE at the University of the Virgin Islands - Abstract The University of the Virgin Islands, an undergraduate HBCU serving a unique population, proposes a continuously improving U-RISE program for students in all the relevant biomedical and behavioral disciplines across both its St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses. The overall mission of this program is to provide training experiences that will foster excitement about scientific careers, develop the trainees' identities as biomedical researchers, and build skills needed for success. The program’s overarching purpose is to prepare UVI undergraduate students to obtain PhDs and engage in biomedical research careers. Through a comprehensive program of mentoring, research experiences, conferences, workshops, and seminars, U- RISE at UVI will provide trainees with biomedical research training and a clear pathway to obtaining their PhD. The goals are that the program will: (1) provide students with a rigorous curriculum that develops both verbal and quantitative skills, (2) provide research training opportunities through extramural summer research experiences and academic year experiences that prepare trainees to produce high quality scientific work, (3) provide students with a clearly articulated career pathway for admission to highly selective research universities and a structure for success, (4) develop strong partnerships with research-intensive institutions, including T32 funded programs, (5) develop strong professional networks for UVI students and faculty, and (6) provide URISE students with effective mentoring on multiple levels (including near-peer mentors, academic mentors, and research mentors). To achieve these goals, some of the program’s measurable objectives include: (1) 100% of URISE trainees will graduate, (2) at least 30% of the students producing exceptionally high-quality work (for example, having an abstract accepted at disciplinary meeting), (3) mentors and mentees will report spending productive time together each semester, (4) mentors and mentees will produce products from their work, such as conference presentations and published journal articles (5) 95% of URISE students apply to doctoral programs by November 30 of their senior year, (6) 65% of trainees will enroll in doctoral programs within three years of graduation, and (7) 60% of trainees will complete higher degree programs. These objectives will be accomplished with a program that builds on past success and includes new curricular modules and workshops, extramural research, presentations at conferences, visiting scientists, and a network of support for trainees. U-RISE at UVI has designed a program that combines highly competitive partners and exciting new initiatives at UVI to continue to improve its historical record of producing minority PhDs.
